Of all the world’s great wildlife destinations, Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, located some 600 miles off the coast of northern South America, are regarded as one of the best for anybody enthusiastic about natural history or photography. Cruises are the typical way of Galapagos Islands travel, and offer the adventure traveler quick access to many approachable species of exotic wildlife on this isolated archipelago.
It was here, in the early 19th Century, that Charles Darwin faced the puzzling array of life that later led him to formulate his Origin of Species, one of the most influential ideas ever written.
Today, the visitor on a Galapagos cruise finds a virtually storybook domain of wonderfully tame wildlife. Imagine yourself snorkeling face-to-face with sea lions, fur seals, and sea turtles,or viewing at arm’s length colonies of nesting seabirds, marine and land iguanas and giant tortoises! At night, aboard your vessel, marvel at the phosphorescent tropical sea and the blazing stars of the Southern Hemisphere’s skies.
Choosing the Right Ship
Vessel sizes range from roughly 16 visitors to over 100, maintained to international safety standards. Most ships are air-conditioned, with in-suite heads and showers, comfortable public lounging areas (both inside and outside), and multilingual crews. Levels of accomodations and amenities range all the way from basic to opulent.
It is advisable to travel to the islands in little groups with a low leader/customer proportion; if feasible, look for ships that have a leader/customer ratio of only 1:8 to 12. Most Galapagos cruises have Zodiac-style landing craft for shore trips, and landings are scheduled to reduce the presence of other ships’ groups. Having to challenge for wildlife watching with hundreds of other visitors on the beach is not the ultimate way to spend a vacation!
Most sailing is done at night, in order to maximize your time to explore these fascinating islands. All yachts have snorkeling equipment aboard and, when you are not ashore on the islands, you can snorkel with sea lions and even penguins. There are embarkations on Saturdays and Sundays, all year long.
Tour guides on all Galapagos cruises must be licensed and trained by the Ecuadorian Park Service. But many staff guides not only have this basic ratification, but also have school degrees, usually in a biological science. This insures that you’re going to receive broad and accurate information regarding the complex biological processes that the islands are renowned for. Most leaders are fully bilingual (so are a lot of the vessel crews), and in numerous cases speak a third language. You may be confident that your guides are the highest quality.
Best Time to Go
Since the isands lie right on the Equator, the weather in the Galapagos is reasonably stable all year long. Nevertheless the Humboldt Current from Antarctica migrates northward in July and August, chilling the ocean of the Galapagos one or two degrees. This may lead to a mist over the islands during some periods, and a little cooler snorkeling. As far as animals go, something is breeding just about year-long, so there’s tons of activity by the birds and other animals.
How To Travel There
World flights arrive daily into either Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador. After overnighting in one of these 2 towns, you’ll board another airplane (generally purchased seperately from your international ticket) for the 1.5 hour flight to the Galapagos. After paying a modest park entrance charge, you’ll be brought to your vessel for your cruise to start.
Planning Your Holiday
Plan on spending at least 2 nights in Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador on your cruise: one for the night of your arrival and one on returning from the islands. But don’t lose out on other exciting things to do in Ecuardor! A day trip to the Otavalo Indian Market, high in the Andes is a good way to pick up some quality leather and wool goods for gifts. Although it will add a couple of days to your holiday, a well-liked add-on is to Peru’s traditional lost town of Machu Picchu.
If you have an interest in wildlife and the task the Galapagos Islands played in the development of scientific thought , put this destination on your must-do list!
John Randall is pro photographer and guide concentrating on adventure travel. He’s a seasoned veteran of many Galapagos cruises.